


Beneficially Exclusive

by stjarna



Series: Beneficially Exclusive [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Follow-up, Friends With Benefits To Lovers, hint of Pipsy for good measure, hint of bus kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 08:11:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17260697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stjarna/pseuds/stjarna
Summary: Follow-up toExclusively Beneficial





	Beneficially Exclusive

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Florchis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Florchis/gifts).



> Big thank you to @dilkirani and @lilsciencequeen.
> 
> For @florchis :)

“Hey there!”

Jemma looked up from the tablet she had propped up next to her cutting board when she heard Daisy’s joyful greeting. “Well, hello.”

Daisy sniffed the air, wiggling her eyebrows as she stepped further into the kitchen, lifting the lid of the large pot simmering on the stovetop and sticking her nose into the rising steam. “Smells delicious.”

“Thank you.” Jemma gestured with her cutting knife first at the pots on the stove, then the dish in the oven, the produce surrounding her cutting board, and the closed fridge. “Vegan sweet potato groundnut soup, herb roast pork with vegetable roasties and apple gravy, a healthy side salad, and—last but not least—a strawberry and elderflower trifle for dessert.” She paused to let her impressive menu sink in before continuing. “Fitz is coming over and—”

“—you’re going to be nauseatingly in love.” Daisy rolled her eyes, snatching a piece of bell pepper from Jemma’s cutting board and taking a bite, then waving the rest in front of Jemma’s face. “Damn, never thought it would backfire on me to make you two idiots realize you belong together.”

Jemma scoffed, placing her free hand on her hip while resting the one holding the knife on the counter. “Well, I _was_ going to say that we were thinking it would be nice to have dinner together—the three of us—and enjoy a lovely movie night afterwards.”

“Oh,” Daisy’s eyes widened in surprise. “That does sound nice but—I kind of have plans.”

“Oh, really?” Jemma couldn’t stop her lips from ticking up, her curiosity awakened by Daisy’s apparent fluster.

“I’m meeting a coworker,” Daisy tried to sound nonchalant, her eyes seemingly fixed on Jemma’s cutting board, as she grabbed another piece of red pepper. Still, Jemma noticed her lips twitch, trying to hide a smile.

“A coworker that makes you smile?” Jemma teased.

Daisy’s gaze wandered up, a blush creeping up her cheeks. “No,” she mumbled unconvincingly, as her lips simultaneously pulled into a wide grin.

“Well, Daisy Johnson,” Jemma exclaimed excitedly, “have you found a soulmate of your own?”

Daisy shrugged, pursing her lips. “I wouldn’t go that far, but Piper’s pretty cool, and funny—and hot.”

Jemma chuckled, lifting her shoulders. “Well, I suppose you’ll be excused from hanging out with us then.”

“Thanks.” Daisy snatched another piece of bell pepper, taking a bite before gesturing at the various dishes on the stove and in the oven with it. “Maybe save me some though. Seriously, smells delish!”

* * *

Jemma opened the door wide, smiling at Fitz. “Hello.”

“Hey,” Fitz replied, taking half a step forward and placing his hands on her hips, before leaning in to kiss her, his tongue briefly brushing across her lips.

Jemma reflexively cupped his face, inhaling deeply as she savored the sensation of her stomach tightening with excitement.

Fitz grinned at her contentedly when he broke the kiss, letting go of Jemma’s hips and stepping past her into the apartment, taking off his jacket in the process. His eyes scanned the apartment. “So where’s Daisy?”

“On a date,” Jemma explained, closing the door, before turning to face Fitz, unable to hide a mischievous grin. “Though she didn’t explicitly call it that.”

“Huh.” Fitz hung up his jacket, then placed one hand on his hip, while gesturing with the other to the door. “And here I was trying to make a convincing boyfriend entrance. Put my best effort into it.”

Jemma chuckled, lifting her shoulders apologetically. “Well, I greatly appreciate your effort.”

“So,” Fitz furrowed his brow, gnawing his bottom lip. “Does that mean you want to go straight to—?” He lifted his chin in the direction of the bedroom.

Jemma followed Fitz’s gaze briefly, before focusing back on him. “Well, I had already started cooking when I found out Daisy was unavailable, so I thought maybe you and I could have dinner without her. It would be a shame to let the food go to waste.”

The corners of Fitz’s mouth ticked up into an excited, boyish grin. “I’m not one to waste food, as you know.”

* * *

Fitz leaned back in his chair, exhaling sharply and rubbing his belly. “That was fantastic.”

Jemma chuckled, keeping her mouth closed as she finished her last bite of dessert. “Thank you. A little preview of what to look forward to when we inevitably get married due to our friends’ and families’ pestering.”

Fitz laughed out loud, before lifting his shoulders. “And what will I bring to our marriage?”

Jemma pondered the question for a moment, pushing her lower lip forward. “Well, your scrambled eggs are a force to be reckoned with.” She gestured at Fitz palm-up. “And your technical abilities, of course.”

Fitz raised his eyebrows. “Is that a euphemism or are you referring to my engineering skills?”

Jemma laughed, dropping her head back, before clearing her throat. “Can’t it be a bit of both?”

Fitz shrugged, pursing his lips. “‘Suppose I have no reason to argue with that.”

“Speaking of your sexual prowess,” Jemma remarked, suggestively ticking her head towards the bedroom. “Did you want to—?”

Fitz let his hands glide up and down his belly, inhaling deeply. “You know, I’m kinda stuffed. Should we—?” He gestured with his thumb towards the couch. “Well, we were planning on a movie night, so maybe we could watch something? Take time to digest?”

“That sounds lovely.” Jemma gasped in sudden excitement. “Oh, we could continue that dog documentary.”

Fitz looked at her in bewilderment, his lips parted. “You cried halfway through the first episode.”

Jemma drew in an exasperated breath. “Oh, but you were left completely untouched, Mr. Misty-Eyed?”

Fitz held her stare for a moment, before one side of his mouth ticked up. “Touché.”

* * *

Fitz sighed, pressing the heels of his hands into his eye sockets and wiping away the tears. “You know, I didn’t think this show could make me any more emotional, but here we are—”

“Ugh, I know.” Jemma reached for the tissue box next to her and grabbed one tissue for herself and one for Fitz. “Isn’t it just wonderful?”

Fitz blew his nose, discarding the tissue in the small waste paper basket next to his side of the couch, before straightening up, looking at Jemma. “Want to watch another one?”

Jemma rolled her shoulders back, pressing her fingers into the muscles next to her neck and grimacing in pain. “Sure.”

“You okay?” Fitz furrowed his brow in concern.

Jemma sighed, tilting her head left and right while her fingers continued to dig into her tense muscles. “Just a bit stiff. I spent hours with my head over the microscope today.”

Fitz’s expression relaxed, a soft smile playing on his lips, as he pulled one leg up on the couch to sit sideways, pointing at the space in front of him. “Come here.”

Jemma couldn’t help but smile. She scooted until she sat cross-legged in front of him.

She closed her eyes, letting out a sound between a contented hum and displeased groan when Fitz curled his hands over her shoulders, his thumbs digging deep circles into her muscles.

“Oh, that’s the spot.” Jemma kept her eyes closed, enjoying the massage.

After a few minutes, her mind drifted off as relaxation overcame her. She barely noticed Fitz’s left thumb stopping his massage, but her head reflexively tilted to the left when she felt his fingers pull back her hair.

She smiled when his lips brushed against the skin where her neck met her shoulder, the soft sensation causing her stomach to churn. She let out a quiet moan as his lips and the tip of his tongue wandered up, a shiver running through her when he nipped at her earlobe. His hot breath tickled her ear, and she felt wetness gather between her legs.

She leaned slightly back, tilting her head even further to the side to give him better access, when the sound of a key in the lock caused her to open her eyes halfway.

“Guys, get a room!” Daisy exclaimed in pretend outrage.

Jemma sat up straight, slightly disappointed by the sudden interruption. “Huh. And here I thought I was in a room.” She turned her head to look at Fitz. “Wouldn’t you agree, Fitz?”

“Looks like a room to me.” Fitz agreed, his hands once again placed on Jemma’s shoulders, his thumbs massaging her muscles more gently. “Hi, I’m Fitz,” he added, looking at the woman standing behind Daisy.

Daisy’s head briefly spun in the same direction. “Oh, right, sorry. Manners.” She smacked her forehead, before gesturing between her colleague and Jemma and Fitz. “Fitz, Jemma, this is my coworker Piper. Piper, this is my roommate Jemma and her boyfriend Fitz.”

“Nice meeting you,” all three replied in unison.

“So, what brings you home so early?” Jemma asked curiously.

Daisy opened the front of her jacket, revealing a huge red stain on her otherwise white top. “The waiter spilled a glass of red wine on me as we were leaving. I mean, he got shoved. Not like he thought I deserved it or anything. But I didn’t want to spend the rest of the night smelling like a homeless person, so decided to come back here and change.” She turned to face Piper. “I’ll be right back.”

Piper bobbed her head in understanding. “Sure thing.”

“Make sure to treat the stain right away,” Jemma called after Daisy, who was rushing towards her room. “You can use my oxi cleaner.”

“Yes, Mom,” Daisy shouted back, before closing her door.

Awkward silence settled in the living room, as Piper rocked back and forth on her feet, her fingers nervously playing with each other. She smiled shyly at Fitz and Jemma. “So, umm, you’re the best friends who didn’t realize you were in love until Daisy gave you a little nudge?”

Jemma scoffed, glancing briefly at Fitz, who tried to suppress a grin. “I suppose that’s the version of the story she likes to tell.”

“Alright. All done,” Daisy suddenly called from the hallway, causing everyone’s heads to turn.

“That was fast,” Jemma remarked. “Did you—?”

“Yes, the stain is soaking in oxiclean,” Daisy replied before Jemma could even finish her question. She put on her jacket, and pulled her hair out from under the collar. “And I didn’t want to leave Piper alone with you two oddballs for too long, so that’s why I was extra speedy. Don’t wait up for me.” She paused, wiggling her index finger back and forth between Jemma and Fitz. “And do me a favor: No sex on the couch—or other communal property.”

Jemma rolled her eyes, trying not to chuckle. “Good bye, Daisy. Nice meeting you, Piper.”

Piper lifted her chin as a farewell. “Nice meeting you, too.”

Jemma watched them leave, turning to Fitz once the door had fallen into its lock, unable to hide a suggestive smile. “So, another episode or—?”

“—or—” Fitz grinned back at her, wiggling his eyebrows, before gesturing over his shoulder towards the hallway. “Though I need to use the loo first.”

Jemma chuckled. “Alright. Meet me in the bedroom?”

Fitz pushed himself up to standing, executing a little salute. “Aye-aye.”

Jemma laughed, watching him leave, before getting up herself. She paused when her phone on the coffee table started buzzing. She grabbed it, glanced at the called ID, and answered as she headed down the hallway to her room. “Hi, Mum.”

“Hi, honey.”

Jemma furrowed her brow, noticing a seriousness to her mother’s voice. “Is everything alright, Mum?”

“I’m at the hospital. Your father slipped and fell down the stairs.”

“What?” Jemma exclaimed, sitting down on her mattress. “Is he alright? Well, of course he’s not alright, if you’re calling from the hospital. What—?”

“It’s not too bad, Jemma,” her mother interjected. “He broke an arm and his leg and has a concussion, but it’s nothing life-threatening. He will go into surgery shortly for the femur. It’s a more complicated fracture I guess, but the doctors seem very optimistic.”

“God.” Jemma pressed her palm against her chest, trying to calm her racing heart. “I—I’ll look for a flight right away and—”

“No, Jemma, no. You don’t need to come. Hold on a second—” Jemma heard muffled noises as her mother seemed to speak to someone else while covering her phone’s microphone. “Dad agrees, honey,” her mother eventually spoke up again. “He doesn’t want you to miss work unnecessarily.”

“Alright, but—” Jemma massaged the side of her neck. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, honey. It’ll all be alright,” her mother confirmed. “We just wanted to let you know, of course. And I’ll give you a ring when he’s out of surgery. I promise.”

“Alright,” Jemma muttered absentmindedly, her mind racing a million miles a second.

“Jemma, the doctor just came in to check on your dad. I have to hang up. Call you. Bye, love.”

“By, Mum,” Jemma replied, even though she already heard the dead line.

She stared at her phone, watching the screen turn black. Furrowing her brow, she placed the phone on her nightstand.

“Alright. Here I am.” Fitz stepped into the bedroom, rubbing his hands together. “Ready to prove my technical abilities.”

His unexpected entrance caused Jemma to flinch. Fitz’s expression immediately switched from excitement to concern. “Are you alright?”

Jemma tried to force a smile. “Yes, no, I—” She paused, closing her eyes and letting out a sigh, before looking back at Fitz. “My mum just called. Dad fell down the stairs. He’s at the hospital.”

“What?” Fitz rushed to the bed, sitting down next to her.

Jemma turned slightly to look at him more straight on. “He’s alright. Nothing life-threatening. Some broken bones and a concussion. He’ll have to go into surgery but—” Once again, Jemma forced her lips to tick up. “Mum says I don’t need to come. That Dad doesn’t want me to miss work unnecessarily. It—Clearly it’s not so bad.”

Fitz nodded, though his eyes remained full of concern. “Yeah, sounds like it.”

Jemma slumped her shoulders. “I’m sorry, Fitz. I’m not really in the mood anymore for—”

“Hey,” He brushed her hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. His fingers curled around the back of her neck, as his thumb rubbed up and down soothingly. “I hope you know that sex will never be the most important thing between us, alright?”

Jemma couldn’t help but smile, bobbing her head slightly, feeling her eyes grow misty. “Thank you.”

He gestured over his shoulder towards the bedroom door. “Do you want me to go? Daisy’s not even home yet. You can just tell her I had to go because I have an early—something.”

Jemma chuckled weakly. “Actually. Would you mind staying? I could use your company.”

“Of course.” He smiled, placing a kiss on her forehead, before heading around the bed and taking off his trousers.

Jemma watched him for a moment, still feeling the lingering touch of his lips on her skin, the corners of her mouth quirking up briefly. She got up and walked to her dresser, pulling open the top drawer and staring at its contents. “You won’t make fun of me once you see the kind of clothes I usually sleep in?” she asked, turning her head to look back at Fitz.

He fanned his arms out to the side. “I stand in front of you in a t-shirt and boxers. These are my standards. I’m pretty sure you can beat that.”

Jemma laughed out loud before reaching into the drawer and grabbing some clothes. She ticked her head in the direction of the bathroom. “Be right back.”

* * *

Fitz was resting his back against the headboard of Jemma’s bed when Jemma returned a few minutes later. He looked up from his phone when he heard her enter. His eyes widened as he gestured at her ‘Keep Calm and Do Science’ shirt. “Hey, that was my Secret Santa gift for Nathanson two years ago.”

Jemma looked down at herself, before nodding. “Oh, yes, I overheard him tell Crawford how he didn’t quite ‘get it’” She formed airquotes. “So, I suggested he swap with me and he agreed.”

“Ha!” Fitz chuckled. “Glad it found someone who can appreciate British humor.”

Jemma snickered. She pulled back the blanket and sat down on the mattress before covering her legs, turning to look more directly at Fitz. “Thank you, Fitz.”

Fitz furrowed his brow, leaning to the side to set his phone down on the nightstand, before looking back at Jemma. “What for?”

“Staying,” Jemma replied quietly.

“Of course.” His lips pulled into a wide smile, as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, curling his fingers behind her neck. “And tomorrow I’ll help you look for flights. No matter what your mum says, I know you want to go.”

Jemma’s eyes suddenly filled with tears, her chin starting to quiver. She sighed, torn between smiling and crying. “Oh, I love you, Fitz,” she whispered, cupping his face and kissing him, until her brain caught up with what she had just said. She let go, looking at him panicked and wide-eyed. “Oh god. Oh, Fitz, I don’t know why I—I didn’t mean to.” She turned around, trying to scramble out of bed. “Maybe you should—”

“Jemma.” His voice was soft and she felt his hand gently squeezing her shoulder.

Jemma shook her head vehemently, not daring to face him. “Fitz, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“Jemma,” he repeated more firmly, causing her to turn around. His eyes were soft, a smile ghosting across his lips. “I love you, too.”

Jemma blinked. “What?”

“I love you, too, Jemma,” he repeated, never taking his eyes off her.

Jemma pressed her lips into a thin line, trying to fight against the tears, moving her head side to side. “Fitz, you don’t have to—”

“I’m not. I’m not just—” he interjected, drawing in a deep breath before exhaling sharply. “I mean it. I don’t know why—” He paused, scoffing in amusement. “God, we’re both idiots, Jemma. Daisy was right. You and I—I mean—” His hands began gesturing wildly. “I love spending time with you. At work. Here. At my place. Anywhere. I love that I can talk to you about anything. That I can laugh with you and cry with you—over serious stuff or a bloody dog documentary. I love when you drive me nuts at work. I miss you, when you’re not around. When I don’t wake up next to you, I can’t wait to see you at work. When we lie together on the couch watching TV, I feel at home. When we kiss, when we have sex—it’s—it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. You’re brilliant, and kind, and beautiful, and I can’t imagine ever meeting a better person to spend the rest of my life with.” He raised his shoulders to his ears. “If all of that isn’t love, then what is, Jemma?”

Jemma stared at him for a moment, letting his words sink in, before cupping his face, kissing him once more.

The kiss was gentle and tender and filled her whole body with contented warmth. Reluctantly, she broke away, resting her forehead against his. “So, what do we do now?”

He let out a quiet chuckle, combing his fingers through her hair. He shrugged, brushing his lips against hers briefly, his forehead never leaving hers. “Instead of pretending to be in love, we just—are?” he whispered against her lips.

Jemma laughed quietly. “That sounds so simple.”

Fitz pushed her head back slightly, his thumbs caressing her cheeks, the corners of his mouth ticked up. “Maybe it is.”

Jemma closed her eyes when she noticed Fitz lean closer at the same time as she leaned in to close the gap between their lips. They kissed slowly, tongues barely brushing against each other.

Fitz tucked her hair behind her ear when he broke the kiss. “Come on. Let’s sleep.”

Jemma beamed back at him, nodding in agreement.

He lay down, offering Jemma his arm to rest on. Jemma turned off the light, before snuggling up against him.

Her fingers absentmindedly traced random patterns on his chest. “Isn’t it ironic?” she asked, barely above a whisper.

“What is?”

“The night we realize we’re in love is the one night we’re not having sex.”

Fitz scoffed quietly, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. “I think that’s perfect.”

Jemma looked up, mesmerized by the softness of his blue irises. “I think you’re right,” she agreed, leaning up to peck his lips, before snuggling her body closer against his, inhaling his familiar scent.


End file.
